utah3

Mormon Country

I landed late afternoon in Salt Lake City to intermittent showers and a moody sky that is a photographer's delight. Transferred my gear to the Geo Metro and drove downtown to my Motel 6 to register, then picked up sandwiches and fruit and drove around town to get a feel for the city. But I scurried back to my room in time for the finale to West Wing and an early turn-in. The next morning I drove around some more and took some photos before heading south on I-15 to Utah canyon country. (I put almost 900 miles on the car during this trip. It's 260 to Bryce from Salt Lake City and another 86 over to Zion.)

Charm of Bygone Era

So much planning and eager anticipation should have set me up for disappointment, but not so. The parks and surrounding countryside were even more fabulous than reported. My resort motel was far more charming than I expected and the entire area was pleasantly quaint -- fast food joints not to be found. Upscale yuppie complexes non-existent. Bryce was named a national park in 1928, the year my motel was built. The family who now owns it purchased it in 1931 when it consisted of a restaurant, filling station, grocery and four rooms. Nearly 70 years later, there are 52 rooms, an enclosed swimming pool, an expanded restaurant, general store and gas station and horse paddock. The rooms were spacious, clean, and modern and the country cooking outstanding, especially the home made pies, breads and soups.
Pristine Beauty

Water scarcity keeps southern Utah sparsely populated and tourism in this area has not yet peaked, so visiting off season gave me an opportunity to enjoy nearly pristine nature. This is especially true for early risers. I would get to Bryce before 6 am and literally have the park to myself. Not a soul in sight. Mist rising from the hollows hid groups of six or seven deer stepping gracefully out of the fog to cross the road in front of me. Utah prairie dogs scurried everywhere and huge ravens swooped and waddled along the road. Dewy wildflowers still tightly closed waited for the sun. Temperatures reached mid-70's in the day and dropped to the low 30's at night. It was glorious.

After shooting for over three hours, the park lodge's complete breakfast buffet (priced at $5.50 for seniors) was much appreciated and by 930 the dining room was full. One morning I rose at 4 am to drive the 86 miles west to Zion National Park and saw exactly four other vehicles the entire distance. Again I had a fabulous national park all to myself, for over an hour. The lodge at Zion also offers the breakfast buffet, but not discounted -- it's $6.95.

(Right: Bryce Canyon)

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